Method and apparatus for evaluating assets for compliance to a security policy

• US 7,975,286 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Deborah Ann, O'Hern, William A., Walling, Debra Ann, Wallace, John Francis, Fickey, Kathryn Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAYOU, YONAS A
• Application Number:
  US11/645,903
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1433 Vulnerability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A method and apparatus for evaluating one or more assets for compliance to at least one network security policy are disclosed. For example, the method receives a request for evaluating at least one asset for compliance to at least one security policy. The method then performs an evaluation of compliance on the at least one asset to determine compliance of the at least one asset to the at least one security policy. The method then records a result of the evaluation of compliance into a database. Finally, the method tracks the at least one asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the at least one security policy over a period of time.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating an asset for compliance to a security policy, comprising:

receiving via a processor a request for evaluating the asset for compliance to the security policy;

performing an evaluation of compliance on the asset to determine compliance of the asset to the security policy, wherein the performing comprises determining whether the asset has deployed the security policy;

recording a result of the evaluation of compliance into a database; and

tracking the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy over a period of time, wherein the tracking comprises;

setting a timer for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy; and

performing the evaluation of compliance again on the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant when the timer has expired.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a report is generated for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset comprises a router.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking further comprises:

repeating the setting the timer and the performing the evaluation of non-compliance for the asset that was previously deemed to be non-compliant until the evaluation of compliance indicates that the asset is now complaint to the security policy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy is categorized in accordance with a severity level of non-compliance, where the severity level of non-compliance is used to set the timer.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the report is generated for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant based on a severity level of non-compliance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a customer of a network service provider.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the asset and the security policy are provided by the customer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a report is generated for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy, wherein the report is provided to the customer.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset comprises a switch.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset comprises a server.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for evaluating an asset for compliance to a security policy, comprising:

receiving a request for evaluating the asset for compliance to the security policy;

performing an evaluation of compliance on the asset to determine compliance of the asset to the security policy, wherein the performing comprises determining whether the asset has deployed the security policy;

recording a result of the evaluation of compliance into a database; and

tracking the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy over a period of time, wherein the tracking comprises;

setting a timer for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy; and

performing the evaluation of compliance again on the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant when the timer has expired.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein a report is generated for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the asset comprises a router.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the tracking further comprises:

repeating the setting the timer and the performing the evaluation of non-compliance for the asset that was previously deemed to be non-compliant until the evaluation of compliance indicates that the asset is now complaint to the security policy.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy is categorized in accordance with a severity level of non-compliance, where the severity level of non-compliance is used to set the timer.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the report is generated for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant based on a severity level of non-compliance.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the request is received from a customer of a network service provider.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the asset and the security policy are provided by the customer.

18. An apparatus for evaluating an asset for compliance to a security policy, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a request for evaluating the asset for compliance to the security policy;

perform an evaluation of compliance on the asset to determine compliance of the asset to the security policy, wherein the performing means determines whether the asset has deployed the security policy;

record a result of the evaluation of compliance into a database; and

track the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy over a period of time by setting a timer for the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant to the security policy, and by performing the evaluation of compliance again on the asset that has been deemed to be non-compliant when the timer has expired.